Beef Tartare, the Dish of the Year, at Joule Restaurant

Seattle restaurant Joule‘s chef Rachel Yang was doing the Korean-American mashup thing long before it became a national trend. Here’s her Korean barbecue-inspired take on tartare, a dish I saw (and ate) across the country this year.

THE MEAT Yang uses a tender cut of beef from the chuck known as teres major. “You want lean beef,” she explains. “Higher-fat beef doesn’t melt in your mouth the same way.”

THE MIX-INS Yang folds in pickled Asian pear for pucker, brined mustard seeds as a nod to classic Dijon, scallions for freshness, and toasted pine nuts, which bring the toasty quality that bread typically delivers.

THE SALAD She tosses a tangle of red watercress in Sherry vinaigrette, providing a sharp contrast to the flavor of the meat.